Everest Base Camp, Base camp at 5150 meters in Tingri County, China.
Everest Base Camp is a tent settlement at 5,150 meters (16,900 feet) elevation beneath the north face of Mount Everest. The site spreads across rocky terrain with temporary shelters, supply stations, and equipment storage arranged in no formal pattern.
China opened this region to foreign climbers in 1980, creating a new route for Everest expeditions from the north. This decision established the base camp as a major staging point for mountaineering teams attempting the mountain.
Colorful prayer flags flutter throughout the campsite, expressing reverence for the mountain that dominates the landscape. They show how climbers and local believers share a common respect for this sacred place.
Visiting requires a Tibet Travel Permit and a Chinese visa, with April through June and September through October offering the best conditions. Acclimatization is crucial at this altitude, as the thin air makes physical exertion feel much harder than at sea level.
The base camp lies just a few kilometers from Rongbuk Monastery at 4,980 meters, the world's highest permanently inhabited religious site. This proximity reveals how spiritual life has long existed alongside the mountain itself.
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